Luxury Retreat: Mont-tremblant

When I won a trip to Montreal and Mont-tremblant, I wondered how much there would be to do in Mont-tremblant in summer. Turns out the very mountains that made the area into a great ski destination are perfect for hiking and biking in summer.

There is also delicious food, though beware giant portion sizes.

Lots of restaurants and lots to eat

We ate at Microbrasserie La Diable, a craft brewery that has tremendous portions of food. My husband had salmon, which came with a salad, rice and veggies. I ordered a Salad with cheese and eggs and he waitress warned my to get a half portion. I would up eating my husband’s salad and saving my entire salad for lunch the next day.

Since it was July 4, we pretended the baby corn was corn on the cob.

Premium Hotel

The Fairmont Tremblant, at the top of the pedestrian village, is also tops in luxury. The hotel has large rooms with windows that open. We were happy to turn off the AC and enjoy the fresh mountain air.

There is a spa, a tiny fitness center, a concierge and valet parking. Once you get to Mont-tremblant, you never need your car again.*

The Fairmont has several restaurants and our room came with breakfast. I had crepes just so I could try the Canadian maple syrup. The child’s portion came with 4 crepes and berries. If I’d opted for the full six crepes, I may have needed a nap at the outdoor pool.

Car for luxury

My rental car was upgraded to a Mercedes-Benz A220 4Matic. The sporty and luxurious sedan had a big sunroof, easy to use nav system and comfortable and supportive leather seats.

We did need the car

Our second day, it poured non-stop. We couldn’t do any of the activities we’d planned for the day – bike, hike, bike some more.

But since it was still fairly warm, we thought, why not hang out in hot tubs all day? The Scandinave Spa – which doesn’t allow cellphones, photography, or even talking – offered the perfect luxury respite for a rainy day.

There are small and large hot tubs, cold plunge pools, lounge chairs, fire pits and steam and sauna rooms. They provide towels, robes and a lock, along with water and tea throughout. We brought reading material and enjoy several long soaks and a couple of frigid blasts of water. If you are brave, you can have a bucket of icy water dumped on you after a steam. Or swim in the cold river.

There are also massages, but we stuck with the water therapy.

Luxury Activities

There are guided bike tours, on e-bikes. We opted to bike on our own, on road bikes. Trails are well marked and you can cycle along wide, paved car-free paths. That, to me, is bliss.